POET 4.08 | If patients come to us anaemic - they just do worse

How important is it to screen patients for anaemia before surgery? Has anaemia fallen off the health care agenda? We begin with a conversation about patients who are anaemic and then turn to why this is sometimes not checked enough. Monty Mythen mentions UK University students appear to suffer from the condition more these days and Lori Heller points out that treating the condition, as part of patient optimisation, is something of a revelation for some, even occasionally removing the need for surgery altogether. Discussion continues regarding haemoglobin levels and the differentiation between men and women. The importance of discovering the condition early on in the pre-habilitation process is also emphasised. Towards the end of the piece Monty makes some time to speak about the "Iron Woman - Iron Therapy for Female athletes" study instigated by Professor Toby Richards. This piece features Professors Monty Mythen and Mike Grocott with guests Lori Heller, Cardiac Anaestheisologist from US Anaesthesia Partners at the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, and Mike Scott, Professor in the department of Anesthesiology Virginia Commonwealth University Health System in Richmond USA.